The Bakhtiari People and Rug Weaving
by Majid Paydar, PhD
Social Structure
Population of the Bakhtiari is around 600,000, and they are considered one of the major tribes in Iran. The land that they occupy is about 75,000 square kilometers and is located in the lower part of the Zagros mountains, between Isphahan and Ahwaz. They are Shiite Muslim and speak Lori.
The Bakhtiari tribe is divided into those who still migrate and follow their herds to green pastures twice a year and those who are settled. We don’t know exactly how many choose to be stationary and how many still migrate. A crude estimation can be said that around 400,000 are sedentary, and about 200,000 are still moving, following a nomadic lifestyle and living in tents.
The sedentary populations are villagers and are engaged in farming. Most of these people are located in two areas along the Zagros Mountains. In the south, they are gathered in Char-Mahal and in the north, in the Fereidoon-Shahr area. These two areas are the end points of their migration.
Many Bakhtiari who live in Char-Mahal and Fereidoon-Shahr speak Farsi or Persian; some speak Turkish, some—mainly the ones near Ahwaz in Khuzestan—speak Arabic. There are some other ethnic minorities who also live among them such as Armenians in the Fereidoon-Shahr.
There is constant interaction between those who migrate and villagers. Nomads sell the animals and their products to the villagers, and at the same time receive their needs such as groceries and clothing, etc., from the sellers.
The social structure of the Bakhtiari tribe is very complex and is a subject of a different article. For our purposes, suffice it to say that the tribe is divided into two main branches of haft-lang and char-lang. Each of these branches is divided into bar or blouk, such as duraki, babadi, baharvand, etc. Each blouk is further divided into several tayefe such as Zarasvand, gandali, baba-ahmadi, etc. Each tayefe is divided into several tireh, each tireh further divided into tash, each tash into several oulad, each oulad divided into families, and finally each family into several households.
by Majid Paydar, PhD
Social Structure
Population of the Bakhtiari is around 600,000, and they are considered one of the major tribes in Iran. The land that they occupy is about 75,000 square kilometers and is located in the lower part of the Zagros mountains, between Isphahan and Ahwaz. They are Shiite Muslim and speak Lori.
The Bakhtiari tribe is divided into those who still migrate and follow their herds to green pastures twice a year and those who are settled. We don’t know exactly how many choose to be stationary and how many still migrate. A crude estimation can be said that around 400,000 are sedentary, and about 200,000 are still moving, following a nomadic lifestyle and living in tents.
The sedentary populations are villagers and are engaged in farming. Most of these people are located in two areas along the Zagros Mountains. In the south, they are gathered in Char-Mahal and in the north, in the Fereidoon-Shahr area. These two areas are the end points of their migration.
Many Bakhtiari who live in Char-Mahal and Fereidoon-Shahr speak Farsi or Persian; some speak Turkish, some—mainly the ones near Ahwaz in Khuzestan—speak Arabic. There are some other ethnic minorities who also live among them such as Armenians in the Fereidoon-Shahr.
There is constant interaction between those who migrate and villagers. Nomads sell the animals and their products to the villagers, and at the same time receive their needs such as groceries and clothing, etc., from the sellers.
The social structure of the Bakhtiari tribe is very complex and is a subject of a different article. For our purposes, suffice it to say that the tribe is divided into two main branches of haft-lang and char-lang. Each of these branches is divided into bar or blouk, such as duraki, babadi, baharvand, etc. Each blouk is further divided into several tayefe such as Zarasvand, gandali, baba-ahmadi, etc. Each tayefe is divided into several tireh, each tireh further divided into tash, each tash into several oulad, each oulad divided into families, and finally each family into several households.
Hallmarks of Weaving
Weaving is an important part of Bakhtiari households. The rugs that are made are quite original. They are distinguishable from others by weaving techniques, color preferences and design. Often Bakhtiari rugs are easily recognized by certain motifs and application of particular trees or flowers. For example, weeping willow and cypress trees play an important part in design. Perhaps one could generalize that, unlike some other Persian rugs such as Nain, Bakhtiari rugs are very colorful. Int eh past, particularly the rugs made over fifty years ago, vegetable dyes were used. The colors are usually black, blues, greens, brown, taupe, white, reds, orange and yellow. Some of these colors are natural, such as brown, black and white. Others were made from vegetables, plants and fruit shells in the surrounding nature. The origin of some of these dyes are as follows: Indigofera tentoria for light blue, rhamnus chlorophorus for green, walnut shell or oak shell pysbalit for brown, rubia tinctorum for red, pomegranate shell, delphinium zalil, gandal for yellow. There is another red that they get from an insect or coccus cati.
Based on primary colors, they come up with other new colors such as making rose or pink by diluting red. However, today most of these more complicated techniques are abandoned and chemical dyes acquired by settlers are substituted.
Settled Bakhtiari are also engaged in rug weaving, particularly in Char-Mahal. Unlike tribal pieces, these might be constructed in various sizes, sometimes extra large. Moreover, unlike tribal rugs, they sometimes follow classical Persian patterns and often the weaves are much finer than ordinary village rugs.
In exception to the general rule that tribal rugs are made in small sizes, in the past certain rugs were made in 3 x 4 meters or even larger. These rugs were known as “bibi-bal,” or the rugs that were made for the wives and daughters of the Khan, or chief of the tribe. Occasionally these ladies themselves participated in the actual weaving as well. Often, due to the size and finer weave, these rugs took several weavers and months to be made. However, this type of rug is scarce and in the antique gallery. This type of rug did not continue after the restructuring of the political power within the tribe brought about by Reza Shah abolishing big chiefdom.
Valuation
In sum, Bakhtiari rugs are quite original. They usually can be distinguished by their weave, designs and the type of colors. Although some are coarsely made, they are solid rugs and last for generations.
Today, the scarcity and high market value of certain village pieces that have been emphasized in the West such as Serapis and old Herizes, give room to other desirable types such as South Persian rugs, particularly Bakhtiaris.
Weaving is an important part of Bakhtiari households. The rugs that are made are quite original. They are distinguishable from others by weaving techniques, color preferences and design. Often Bakhtiari rugs are easily recognized by certain motifs and application of particular trees or flowers. For example, weeping willow and cypress trees play an important part in design. Perhaps one could generalize that, unlike some other Persian rugs such as Nain, Bakhtiari rugs are very colorful. Int eh past, particularly the rugs made over fifty years ago, vegetable dyes were used. The colors are usually black, blues, greens, brown, taupe, white, reds, orange and yellow. Some of these colors are natural, such as brown, black and white. Others were made from vegetables, plants and fruit shells in the surrounding nature. The origin of some of these dyes are as follows: Indigofera tentoria for light blue, rhamnus chlorophorus for green, walnut shell or oak shell pysbalit for brown, rubia tinctorum for red, pomegranate shell, delphinium zalil, gandal for yellow. There is another red that they get from an insect or coccus cati.
Based on primary colors, they come up with other new colors such as making rose or pink by diluting red. However, today most of these more complicated techniques are abandoned and chemical dyes acquired by settlers are substituted.
Settled Bakhtiari are also engaged in rug weaving, particularly in Char-Mahal. Unlike tribal pieces, these might be constructed in various sizes, sometimes extra large. Moreover, unlike tribal rugs, they sometimes follow classical Persian patterns and often the weaves are much finer than ordinary village rugs.
In exception to the general rule that tribal rugs are made in small sizes, in the past certain rugs were made in 3 x 4 meters or even larger. These rugs were known as “bibi-bal,” or the rugs that were made for the wives and daughters of the Khan, or chief of the tribe. Occasionally these ladies themselves participated in the actual weaving as well. Often, due to the size and finer weave, these rugs took several weavers and months to be made. However, this type of rug is scarce and in the antique gallery. This type of rug did not continue after the restructuring of the political power within the tribe brought about by Reza Shah abolishing big chiefdom.
Valuation
In sum, Bakhtiari rugs are quite original. They usually can be distinguished by their weave, designs and the type of colors. Although some are coarsely made, they are solid rugs and last for generations.
Today, the scarcity and high market value of certain village pieces that have been emphasized in the West such as Serapis and old Herizes, give room to other desirable types such as South Persian rugs, particularly Bakhtiaris.
